A wide variety of different types of wireless communication systems are known. For example, a typical wireless cellular network includes a multitude of interconnected base stations which communicate with mobile user devices within defined coverage areas.
Also, numerous techniques have been developed which deliver advertising or other types of messages to mobile user devices based on the current locations of those devices. Thus, if a given user device is determined to be in close proximity to a particular retail establishment, an advertisement or other message associated with that establishment may be delivered to the user device.
Examples of techniques of this type are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2002/0095333, entitled “Real-Time Wireless E-Coupon (Promotion) Definition Based On Available Segment,” 2002/0164977, entitled “System and Method for Providing Short Message Targeted Advertisements Over a Wireless Communications Network,”2003/0198346, entitled “Push Delivery Service Providing Method, Information Providing Service System, Server System and User Station,” 2004/0209602, entitled “Location-Based Content Delivery,” 2005/0221843, entitled “Distribution of Location Specific Advertising Information Via Wireless Communication Network,” 2005/0227711, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Creating, Directing, Storing and Automatically Delivering a Message to an Intended Recipient Upon Arrival of a Specified Mobile Object at a Designated Location,” and 2006/0058037, entitled “Custom Information For Wireless Subscribers Based on Proximity.”
Unfortunately, conventional wireless communication systems such as those described in the above-cited references suffer from a number of significant drawbacks. For example, the conventional systems are typically configured in a manner which can lead to excessive location queries or other types of location-related communications between the base stations and the mobile user devices, thereby undermining the ability of the systems to support their primary voice and data traffic functionality.
Improved techniques for delivering location-based services to mobile user devices that alleviate the problems noted above are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2007/0270133, entitled “Mobile-Initiated Location Measurement,” 2007/0270160, entitled “Traffic-Synchronized Location Measurement,” 2007/0270161, entitled “Broadcast Channel Delivery of Location-Based Services Information,” 2007/0270162, entitled “Reverse Lookup of Mobile Location,” and 2007/0270166, entitled “Prioritization of Location Queries in a Location-Based Services System,” all of which are commonly assigned herewith and incorporated by reference herein.
An issue that arises in providing location-based services to mobile user devices relates to what is referred to as herein as “fence crossing,” which generally refers to determining when a given mobile user has crossed a designated boundary. A fence-crossing event may be used, for example, to control the delivery of a particular message to a given mobile user device, or to control the provision of other types of location-based services.
Conventional techniques for dealing with fence crossings fail to provide optimal performance in delivery of location-based services, particularly in mass market, high-volume applications, which involve many users, many fences per user, etc. For example, the conventional techniques often require excessive messaging over an air interface of the wireless network, thereby consuming system resources and adversely impacting system performance. Also, such messaging can result in increased power consumption in the mobile user device, thereby adversely impacting battery life. Accordingly, new techniques are needed which can further improve the delivery of location-based services through enhanced processing of fence-crossing information.